The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Old scripts get a new lease of life

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Old scripts get a new lease of life

By Our Special Correspondent

N. Jayasankaran, V-C of SCS Saraswati Viswavidyalaya, Kanchipuram, lighting a lamp to mark the valedictory of the national training camp in the Sanskrit University, Tirupati on Sunday.

TIRUPATI. Oct. 24. The three-week long national training camp on research methodology, manuscriptology and palaeography organised by the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development in the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha (RSVP), a deemed university under the ministry, concluded today. Forty-three delegates, mostly students from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Orissa participated in the camp and underwent training in deciphering scripts (lipis) like Grantha lipi, Sarada, Nepali and Mythili.

Hidden knowledge

The Vice-Chancellor of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Viswavidyalaya, Kanchipuram, N. Jayasankaran delivering the valedictory address said the training would go a long way in deciphering the knowledge that remained hidden in ancient palm-leaf manuscripts written by seers in the five ancient scripts which were now nearly extinct. He said that the Central Government was spending nearly Rs. 10 crores on the project.

Appeal to public

K. E. Govindan, Vice-Chancellor of the RSVP said the Vidyapeeth has embarked upon a programme to collect palm-leaf manuscripts and ancient texts and appealed to public to contact the university if they had any such material.

He said they would be paid if the manuscripts were found to be useful.

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